


Bit By Bit

by FanWriter



Category: Harry Potter - Fandom
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-05
Updated: 2016-03-05
Packaged: 2018-05-24 22:38:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 826
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6169372
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FanWriter/pseuds/FanWriter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>She didn't realize it then, but now she knows: she fell for him, bit by bit.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Bit By Bit

Lily Evans collasped on her bed, her school bag still on her shoulder, in a bundle of nerves. During her first days at Hogwarts, she'd overheard some of the older girls in her house talking about a love potion; that, by simply smelling the brew, you'd be able to smell the scent of the person you were meant to be with. She'd initially scoffed at the idea - not because she didn't believe it, but because she'd always seen love as a fickle thing. Love was said when it wasn't truly meant, and not said when it was the one thing that needed to be said. Something she had seen enough times, despite her young age. Curiosity got the better of her one day, though, and she'd begun brewing the Amortentia potion secretly in Myrtle's bathroom - just to see if, at eleven, she knew who she would spend the rest of her life with.

She'd decided to keep a record; every year on her birthday, as today was, she would smell the potion and see if she recognized the scent. To see if the potion really worked, or simply told the person who they were in love with at the time.

Glancing around to make sure she was alone, she took a deep breath to clear her senses before removing the vial from her bag. Uncorking the top, she closed her eyes, put the vial close to her nose and inhaled. She smelled ... air. Her brows furrowed as her eyes remained closed. How could one smell like air? It wasn't just the smell, though, she sensed energy, life. What did that even mean?

Grabbing a piece of parchment she began her list and jotted down her findings:

_Lily Evans' Amortentia Experiment_

_Age 11 - smell of air, with the feeling of energy and life._

She'd stared at the parchment, wracking her brain to figure out who smelled like that. Hearing her dormmates coming up the stairs, she quickly stashed the potion in the back part of the drawer of her nightstand and put the parchment in the front of her diary.

HP-HP-HP-HP-HP

Lily Evans collasped on her bed, her school bag still on her should, in a bundle of nerves - laughing when she realized that this was the exact same way she felt the first time she ever did this. Pulling the recently made potion from her drawer, she popped the cork. She didn't have to worry about anyone walking in on her since she was living in the Head's dorm now. Well, James could still walk in on her, but she knew that instead of laughing at her, her boyfriend would be just as curious to her little experiment as she was. Grinning, she leaned over and smelled the potion. She was practically beaming when she recognized the scent as James'. She leaned over to write down the scent and reviewed the list.

_Lily Evans' Amortentia Experiment_

_Age 11 - smell of air, with the feeling of energy and life._

_Age 12 - broom polish, a very thick scent of it._

_Age 13 - parchment and ink, and a sneaky feeling (?)._

_Age 14 - tea, Scottish breakfast tea (thank you Twinkle, the Hogwarts kitchen elf who identified it)._

_Age 15 - fur of an animal (?), and dense woods._

_Age 16 - cologne, faint but definitely noticeable._

_Age 17 - home, where it's comfortable and safe, where it feels like I belong._

She sat there, staring at the list in awe. Since second year, seeing as how it was never the same scent, she assumed that the potion changed with her, instead of allowing the brewer to smell 'the one'. Looking back now, she knew the scents all belonged to one person, and only one person.

''Mind if I have a wiff?'' said a voice from behind her.

Shrieking, she flipped over on the bed holding her wand out in what she hoped was a threatening manner, only to deflate upon seeing James smirking. ''James Harry Potter!''

''I suppose the answer's no.'' He was staring at the floor where the broken vial lay. He shrugged his shoulders and jumped on the bed beside Lily, pressing his nose to her neck. ''I'll just have to smell you instead. Ahh. The real thing is always better than a manufactured version.'' Snorting, he said, ''Sirius calls it the DIY version. He's waiting for Remus to get out of the hospital wing, so I thought I'd come bug you,'' he said, answering her unasked question.

''Lovely.''

''You truly are. Was that a love potion? Did it confirm your undying love for me?'' She shoved his shoulder, and laughed.

''Only recently, yes, but,'' she handed him the parchment, ''I think I've always been in love with you. I was just falling slowly, bit by bit.''

James read it over and smiled at her softly. ''I was always there, you know, just waiting to catch you.'' He leaned in and placed a gentle kiss on her lips. ''Happy birthday, my love.''


End file.
